Spectacle bow



May 1, 1945.

T. H. CALKINS SPECTACLE BOW Filed April 2, 1945 I'mucntor beodor e Calkins Chm-neg Patented May 1, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPECTACLE BOW Theodore H. Calkins, Tacoma, Wash.

Application April 2, 1943, Serial No. 481,562

1 Claim.

This invention relatesto the temple-pieces of spectacles and has special reference toproviding a spring means between the eye-glasses and the bow in the temple-piece.

The objects of my invention are, first, to hold the spectacles firmly in proper vision position on the nose;- second, to permit the said glasses to be raised to the forehead and to hold them firmly in such position; and third, to accomplish these purposes with the simplest and least conspicuous means.

I attain these and other objects as may readily appear to those familiar with the making. and using of spectacles, by the devices and arrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are a side elevation and an enlarged section of one form of my invention, parts I being broken away to reveal the construction thereof; and Figs. 3 and 4 are a plan and a seca tion of another form of my invention.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several'views.

It is a common experience in the use of spectacles that, when the head is inclined downward, the eye-glasses slip down on the nose and result in faulty adjustment of the vision. This is true even in such sedentary work as reading or writing but is especially true whenthe wearer is engaged in manual labor in the field, factory, ship-yard, or other similar employment, and results not only in poorer work but in time lost in having to stop work to replace the spectacles.

In such cases it is often necessary to raise the eye-glasses to the forehead. If the bows are ad-. justed tightly enough to hold the eye-glasses in proper visual position, they are then too tight to permit raising them to the forehead with any degree of comfort. I have, therefore, invented the following described spring temple-pieces which, while holding the eye-glasses in position for correct vision, also permit them to be raised to the forehead withouthurting the ears.

Referring, first, to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the eye-glasses 9 are of the usual construction and are provided with nose-clips I 0 and with hinge lugs ll. Each of the temple-pieces for these spectacles is bipartite in character and comprises a short wire l2 hinged to the lug II; a

spring I4; and the temple wire l5, which lies between the short wire l2 and the spring l4, and which is provided with a pin IE to which one end of the spring I4 is attached.

In order to protect the wearers hair from being caught in the said spring I4 I enclose the spring in a U-shaped casing or shield l8 (Fig.

1) which may be fastened by solder or otherwise 'to-the wire |2.' A pin I9 passes between the 20 extends across the legs of the shield [8 at a point near its inner end. The relative motion of the temple wire I 5 is confined by the legs of the shield l8 and by the two pins l9 and 20 to a strictly longitudinal motion whose outward extension is opposed by the spring I4 fastened to the pins I6 and I 9. I

In practise the spring I4 is made of very fine material and is fitted so as to be very slightly extended when the eye-glasses are in place on the wearer, so that they have a slight tension in such position. When the eye-glasses are raised to the forehead the springsare further extended to accommodate the increased distance from the ears.

Referring to Figs. 3 and .4, the shield 22 is secured to the wire l2, and one end of the spring M is securedto the pin IS. The temple wire I5 passes through the spring l4 and is fastened to the other end thereof. The wire I5 is confined by the pin 20. This form illustrates that the temple wire I5 is placed horizontally alongside the wire l2, and this may, of course, be done in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, if desired, thereby rendering the casing less conspicuous.

It is to be understood that in either of the" above arrangements the shield may be made circular, ovate or U-shaped in section; and that the spring may enclose one or both the wires, or lie outside of them. Additional variations may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention as outlined in the appended claim.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In spectacles, the combination of eye-glasses having hinges secured thereto; bipartite temple pieces, one part thereof being connected to said hinges and the second part thereof lying adjacent to and parallel to said first part and including the ear band; spring means connecting said two parts of the temple pieces and adapted to oppose their relative extension; shields, each comprising a flat metal strip bent to partially surround the adjacent ends of said temple pieces and said spring and secured to said first part of said temple pieces; and guide means extending across the open side of each of said shields and adapted to cooperate with said shield to hold said second parts of the temple pieces from latera motion in relation to the first parts thereof.

THEODORE H. CALKINS. 

